Movies And Music Downloads Reviews


Sunday, February 28, 2010

UFC 98 Flashback: Machida Blasts Evans

By Ross Everett

When golf legend Jack Nicklaus was still a young upstart in the sport and only starting to tear up PGA courses, legend Bobby Jones commented following 'The Golden Bear's' 65 Masters win that "he plays a game with which I am not familiar". Following his absolute destruction of Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 98, there's likely a few MMA fighters saying the same thing about the new light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Machida completely befuddled Evans en route to a 2nd round TKO victory after which 'The Dragon' looked as if hed barely worked up a sweat.

The fight started slowly, with each man trying to get a feel for his opponent and wait him out to see who blinked first. Evans, who prefers to counter punch, quickly began to become uncomfortable with facing an adversary who didn't come right at him. Late in the first round, Machida went on offense with frightening suddenness, flooring Evans with a nice straight right hand. Evans gamely tried to fight back, but a final right hand from the Shotokan Karate master left him out cold.

After the fight UFC announcer Joe Rogan proclaimed the start of the Machida era and this is not just mere hyperbole. Machida is unlike any fighter before him, rooted in mastery of traditional martial arts but with the versatility of a modern MMA competitor. He's essentially a Mortal Kombat character come to life--in a more realistic cross disciplinary comparison he shares many of the same characteristics as boxing great Floyd Mayweather, Jr. as he combines insane handspeed, underrated stopping power and nearly impenetrable defense into an unorthodox and extremely lethal package. Like Mayweather, hes a tough opponent to prepare for as there's simply no way to replicate his skill set in sparring. In another similarity with boxing's recent pound for pound king, Machida has been bred to fight since birth. His father is a first generation Japanese --Brazilian and a Shotokan Karate legend, Yoshizo Machida. He began training in his fathers discipline at the age of 3 and by the time he was 12 years old had earned a black belt.

Outside of the cage, Machida is a modest and respectful gentleman who is quick to give credit to his father and his karate teachers for his MMA success. He spent most of his UFC 98 postfight interview not singing his own praises, but imploring others to strive to realize their dreams. In the past, his limited English was seen as a potential marketing liability here in the US but on this occasion he demonstrated vastly improved fluency in the language as a Portuguese translator stood by.

An odd trivia note about Machida serves as further repudiation for MMA neophytes who think that the sports kinship with pro wrestling began with Brock Lesnar: Machida was discovered by Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki, and became something of his protege. He trained for some time at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in Tokyo and made his MMA debut on a NJPW card in 2003, defeating Pancrase veteran Kengo Watanabe.

Perhaps the most frightening thing about Machida is that hes only now reaching his full potential as an MMA fighter. In other words, hes only going to get better which is a scary prospect for opponents given the fact that hes never lost in MMA competition. Early in his UFC career he had a reputation as a boring fighter, but in his recent bouts hes shown a downright lethal ability to end fights.

Machida will very likely face Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson in a future light heavyweight title defense and, with all due respect to the PRIDE/UFC veteran, its difficult to see him faring much differently than Evans did. One thing working in 'Rampage's' favor is his greater experience and a resume filled with high level opponents of various fighting styles. Still, everyone comes back to the fundamental reality that no one has ever really seen a fighter quite like Machida before.

In the co-main event of the evening, Matt Hughes defeated Matt Serra by unanimous decision to gain the upperhand in their long running feud. It was a surprisingly entertaining fight, with Serra taking the first round with his power punching before Hughes used his takedown and ground control abilities to win rounds two and three. The two men embraced after the fight so, for now at least, their well known dislike for one another that began during their stint as rival coaches on The Ultimate Fighter may have ebbed.

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Why the Yamaha Dtxpress is the Most Favored Drumset Around

By James Quick

For the course of ten years, the Yamaha Dtxpress series electric drum kits have set the standard for effectiveness and value for both newbie and specialist drummers.

The drums themselves give off a fantastic sound when compared to other drum kits at present on the market.

No other set in its price range has the quality or the ability.

There are lots of distinct kinds that are accessible today, nonetheless lots of emphasis has been put on them for being the most effective in their class.

One of the most impressive functions I like is that the Dtxpress comes packed with 427 Drum and Percussion sounds
Within the box of the Yamaha Dtxpress, is a fantastic variety of high-quality sounds that you can use to build 20 custom kits for when you want to think "outside the box".
You can find lots of traditional acoustic drums to pick from, as well as percussion instruments from all around the planet.

You will also find some killer special effects that take away any restrictions from your creative imagination going wild ...lol. When it comes to electronic drum sets this is one of the best on the market.

The Yamaha DTXPRESS has 22 keyboard voices that you can activate from the pads. This permits you to trigger melodic patterns or program melodic loops into the on-board sequencer which you can use as part of your live performance.
Allow me to share a few tidbits you may not be aware of , a standard drum kit consists of floor toms, a bass drum, cymbals, woodblocks, tambourines, cowbells, and electronic drum pads.

With the plethora of manufacturers, numerous people find choosing a new drum set might be a challenging task to complete.

In order to make the selection procedure a little bit easier it is crucial to do some exploration before going out and purchasing a set.

Exploration is the best way to understand key characteristics and terms that you may not be aware of and aid you to make an educated decision when you're finally ready to make a buy.

Here is often a standard rundown of some of the big manufactures that currently rule the marketplace for electronic drum sets.

Tama - Tama was the earliest organization to generate mutli-clamp hardware for drum sets.

This equipment allows drummers the opportunity to be able to lengthen their sets. Tama launched the very first cymbal stand in the industry of drum manufacturers.

Pearl Drums - These are utilized all over the planet and are manufactured by the Pearl Instrument Organization.

Their drums got their start in Japan and quickly spread like a wild fire all over the world.

Yamaha - First began manufacturing drum sets in 1968. During 1993, they announced their very own enhanced sustain system.

They've been constantly noted as being a main manufacturer of electronic drum sets. In fact many high profile expert bands use their musical equipment for key concerts across the US because of its reliability.

Here are some of the most popular Drums that they make, the Yamaha Dtxpress as well as the Yamaha Dtxplorer.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

White Cyc Studios and Its Brilliant Technology

By Phillip Guye

White cyclorama is a particular material used to make a cyclorama that surrounds the stage. All the developments in technologies did little to change the way the cyclorama is lighted over the years. All the new technology has elevated the need for suitable lighting and using the right kind of material for the white cyc.

What current technology has done is to take century old technologies and make its use important for producing digital backgrounds for digital reality. This is also performed for special effects from the up and coming avalanche of motion pictures, and several video programs dependent on personal computer devices requiring flawless virtual backgrounds that may simply be developed in white cyclorama galleries. White cyclorama studios technological know-how goes back to 19th century German Theaters and has shifted around the entertainment community for years. White wall surface was adopted for early twentieth century Broadway plays and finally wound up in Hollywood use for generating special effects.

The white cyc is an extremely beneficial instrument when it comes to lighting the white surface stage platform. The white cyc gives the lighting artist with an abundant quantity of lighting opportunities for staging the desired special effects scene. The white cyclorama with suitable lighting will attract the viewers focus to the subject which the filmmaker wants to accentuate. This is actually the principal benefit of white surface backgrounds, and the reason why white wall galleries are used for TV ads, news programs, music videos, dance workouts, as well as other forms of film media. White is used for the shade of the cyc as it makes the background empty so a new background with all the preferred outcomes can replace it. The empty backdrop is excellent for digital style photography increasing the model's physical appearance and keeping total concentration the model.

The number of white cyc studios technology walls can be painted green to incorporate green screen special effects within the white cyclorama studios. This works because the cyc is void of background allowing for the green screen background effect to show up instead of the white cyclorama background. Using the cyc enhances the green screen effect by giving it illusions of detail and unlimited space. Robert Rodriguez used a method comparable to this while he was shooting Sin City when he makes use of his 1956 Chevy Panel pick up truck in the picture. He places his pickup truck upon a platform and films it from various camera angles. The celebrities were shot before a green screen background and were composite in the truck film to appear to be inside the vehicle. In reality the actors never were within the truck for the duration of filming. With the growing number of special effects in films and TV programs nowadays cyc lighting is very important in creating special graphic effects.

Movie companies have doubts about using white cyclorama studios for special effects. The producer's queries are quickly dismissed with clear knowledge of what the cyclorama facilities are capable of doing when they begin to see the outcomes from the production studios. Another use for white cyc studios technology backgrounds is on talk shows when music groups stop by to play one of their new music pieces. The white background gives the right area for developing a fast music environment.

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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Inside Part Time Plumbing Courses - The Facts

By Jason Kendall

We can be confident there'll continually be a strong countrywide need for certified local plumbers and heating technicians. Although it is more difficult to obtain building site employment, there is a great deal of household business for you to get into. How regularly do we learn about the endless phone calls somebody had to do - just to find a real plumber who was free to prevent their loo from leaking? Also while less individuals are changing house, increasing numbers elect to update their current houses with state of the art kitchen areas and bathrooms. Consequently training for work as a new local plumber may well just be the smartest career shift you could do!

The brilliant thing with plumbing-related skills is they will set you up for life. Whether a home is 10 years into it's life or 100 years of age, it nevertheless requires a water supply and a means of heating! There is certainly plenty of job fulfilment - as it is truly very good when you can see the end result of a job well executed. There is of course loads of variety, as you do the job at various properties with various kinds of individuals. Plus you're able to choose which work you accept.

It really is a substantial advantage to have several strings to your bow. You are likely to bring in a more substantial client base plus keep a lot more of the overall business earnings for yourself. There'll be hardly any hanging about for kitchen fitters and electricians if you are able to perform some of the work yourself - and the client will be a lot less disrupted.

A thing which appeals to scores of vocational career re-trainees has to be the idea of becoming their own boss. The majority of newly certified plumbing engineers over the age of their mid-twenties like to work for themselves - within the home-owner market. Of course this is sensible if you think about the kind of need throughout just about every city in Great Britain. The cash should soon begin to flow when you have done your specialist training and built your confidence.

No matter whether you decide to study at a further education college full time, or perhaps study part-time through a commercial institution, you'll need to become qualified in specific City & Guilds qualifications. Young people planning to get going straight after school mostly acquire apprenticeship employment which means they are able to get NVQ's in addition to City and Guilds. Mature trainees generally take on part time training programmes and study outside of their existing responsibilities. That is the reason why so many private colleges have evolved, which provide for job changers that often just want household retraining. Adult students therefore will mostly pay out a bit more at first for private training programs, but they will fine-tune their training to fit the exact employment they'll enter into.

Try and create a good rapport with each of your customers - they are more inclined to recommend your work to other customers when you do. Instructors will certainly educate you on the necessary plumbing-related requirements, nevertheless be certain to focus on your attitude. Work may very well be recommended from anybody and everybody! Addressing clients respectfully and courteously will certainly continually reap rewards.

A lot more often than not, plumbers inside the commercial sector tend to be taken on in order to work for a max 40 hr week. Yet, self-employed home-based local plumbers face a totally different working environment. Many employed folks can't get permission to get a morning or afternoon off work, so local plumbers who are able to work outside working times can normally gain significantly more work.

Small business plumbing technicians really need to discover the way to quote for contracts both competitively and viably. This means considering all your expenses in addition to your time and energy. It is often quite hit and miss at the outset, but you'll soon improve on any errors! Keep a look out for re-training companies that will help out on this.

Your basic retraining will be about fundamentals such as cold and hot water products, sanitary solutions, health and safety along with heating systems. You'll also have the ability to qualify in supplementary skill sets which could enable you to accept larger work on your own. A number of local plumbers also learn how to do plastering and tiling - together with certain electrical related jobs. Flexible private plumbing-related courses really are the swiftest and most efficient path to get into the self employed household marketplace.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Online Bass Lessons: Achieve Success Practicing At Home

By Cedric Zbikowski

Maybe you're a fan of Flea of the Chili Peppers, or Sting, or Paul McCartney. Bass can be almost as prestigious as drums, the bass is more important to a bands sound than the drums are. Drums set the tempo, but bass truly sets the groove of the song. It's both rhythmic and melodic.

Take a regular guitar (which is tuned from the thickest to the lowest string- E - A - D - G - B - E) and exclude the two thinnest strings at the bottom and what is left is basically a bass guitar with thinner strings. Bass playing is usually note-oriented and not chord-oriented. This means that single notes are hit more often in bass playing and this scheme is the essential element of bass playing, one should be familiar with the tunings and the notes in a regular guitar to be able to decently play the bass guitar.

A bass guitar is heavy and cumbersome to carry around, because of all the supporting gadgets that come with it, not to mention the long cables that accompany all of the gadgets. Bass guitars are expensive to purchase, and also tough to learn. But these are indispensable in any pop or rock band. A bass guitar can indeed be the most prized possession of a devoted bassist.

The standard tuning of a four string bass guitar from highest (thinnest string) to lowest (fattest string) is G-D-A-E. On a five string bass the tunings are similar with the addition of a low B string. On a six string bass guitar, a thinner (higher pitched) string is added, and is tuned to C, In other words on a 6 string bass guitar the settings are B-E-A-D-G-C, where B is the fattest string or lowest note and C the highest and thinnest.

It can be played by plucking, slapping, tapping, popping, or by picking the strings with a pick. The bass guitar looks somewhat similar to an electric guitar, but with a larger, heavier body, a longer scale length, and a longer neck. The bass guitar usually has four strings, tuned one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

In struggling simply to get out the notes, though, it's easy to neglect developing these small muscles. The result can be a great deal of wasted energy and motion, limiting one's technique. So here are some of the do's and don't's of hand position (the advice here is for righties; if you're left-handed, adjust accordingly):

Also, crucial to slap bass is the "snapping" sound produced by pulling the strings up and letting them snap back onto the fretboard - this is called "popping". Of course, all the other more usual techniques of bass playing are still used, such as hammer-ons and crosshammers, lift-offs, slides, string bends and harmonics - but rather than plucking the string with the finger or pick, it might be slapped with the thumb or popped.

A bass guitarist/bassist is like the anchor of a band. He/she outlines the harmony of the music being performed, while simultaneously indicating the rhythmic pulse of it. The bass guitarist is like the lifeblood of any band, and the bass guitar is his/her tool of choice, used to mesmerize audiences. A bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument that is played with the fingers.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Discovering Green Screen Stages Hollywood

By Phillip Guye

It is certainly not unusual to come across several green screen stages Hollywood. This can be attributed to the fact that it is often said the source of this technology is in Hollywood. Naturally, this is predictable of a city like Hollywood, which can be a city synonymous with motion picture producing. This technology basically works by introducing a background (different from the originally used one), to an image, movie or video development to generate improved, interesting and exciting effects. For it to perform successfully, the original backdrop must be green. This will make it probable to manipulate the scene simpler, adding numerous different backgrounds in place of the green surfaced screen.

This famous method of Hollywood film end production, and photography highly increases the film, video or photograph. For this reason, green screen stages Hollywood are hugely sought after by Hollywood actors, photographers and artists in general. This wonderful technology is one of the major techniques of movie generating and movie accomplishment that Hollywood is famous for. Green screen stages Hollywood are as several as there are film production houses, or even more, especially with the present trends whereby green screen or "chroma key" engineering aided movie and picture productions are very prosperous, and proceed to be big Hollywood hits. Chroma key screen rentals in Hollywood are set to become an enormous business in days to come. It is usual to find a particular studio with more than one Chroma key facility, particularly in Hollywood.

Green screen stages Hollywood are available in different ways. There are those that can be leased out, and those that are custom made for specific Hollywood studios or end production houses. Mostly, the ones for specific studios are used specifically for their productions, although they may also rent them out. There are also chroma key screen stages in Hollywood established purely for renting out. These have discovered a ready market place from small and upcoming actors, film makers and photographers. This is advantageous since a excellent number of these small and upcoming Hollywood beginner motion picture makers do certainly not have the capacity to completely own their own chroma key engineering, or even register to existing production houses.

Motion pictures that have been created by green screen stages Hollywood have typically experienced large success, and this has pushed even more performing artists to utilize the technology. In the same vein, photographs and videos developed by this technology in Hollywood have documented unprecedented success, and this exposes the development and expansion of chroma key stages in Hollywood, and also in other parts of the world that have the total capacity to produce films, videos and photographs as well.

Worthwhile to note is that green screen stages Hollywood are not really only set aside for big studios and producers. This engineering can easily be used in any well established and well organized Hollywood end production stage as long as all the essential precautions in chroma key engineering are observed and adhered to. Besides, the technology is definitely not only constrained to Hollywood, nevertheless it has been transported to other areas as well, including photographic and movie industries in many other places.

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Green Screen Los Angeles For Superior Pictures And Films

By Phil Guye

Ever imagined the film industry without the use of green screen? Almost all of the films and photos that amazed people are products of Green screen Los Angeles technology. With the use of green screen, out of this world settings and dazzling creatures are shown in films. Chroma has made the impossible possible because of the wonders it can bring films. Dramatic effects and PC generated images are all possible because of the help of green screen. The films like Titanic and Star Trek used green screen technology that made it look more pragmatic and creative. Green screen is considered as any filmmaker's best friend but not all folks know how this system works.

Green screen technology is about mixing two different images. Green screen is also generally known as chroma key. Chroma works with both a background and foreground image. The background is usually a solid color that is either green or blue in color. It can be replaced with another picture. Green is preferred than blue. Why not red or pink? The reason behind green or blue colors as background is actually because video cameras and cameras are delicate to these colors. Filmmakers and photographers use these colours because they are less difficult to use since it doesn't need tedious lighting. As well as that, the color green has less noise and it makes cleaner lines compared to other colors. Green screens are chosen by massive productions and weather reports because it's better to use and manipulate.

Despite the amazing creations and attributions that green screen can give, there are some things about it that should be considered. Green screen Los Angeles only work with the best filming and photography equipments. This means a higher production cost is required. Filmmakers should use the best lights, cameras and other high technology equipments for movie production. Terrible lighting can produce ugly shadows and untouched shots. Filmmakers and photographers never compromise the quality of their art by using low quality appliances.

Green screen is regarded as filmmakers' best friend. Using the chroma key makes many things for them easier like having different settings in virtually no time. Except for that, green screen can provide them all the effects they have to bring out their creativity. Green screen helps artists experiment on the films they make especially independent filmmakers. Without green screen, there wouldn't be much wonderful films like Harry Potter and Transformers.

Green screen Los Angeles plays an imperative role in the sphere of media and entertainment. It isn't only used for movie production but also for mag shoots and TV shows. The use of green screen has made gorgeous images and interesting details possible.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

A Tour Of Australia's Third Largest City

By Kathy Smith

Choosing a holiday destination can be a big decision. Most people only can afford to take a holiday or two per year and that means that when you are selecting a vacation destination you must choose carefully. You will want to select a holiday that will afford you relaxation, plenty to do and all for as reasonable a price as possible.

This is one of the reasons that you should consider a trip to Australia 's third largest city. Now it may sound like you are choosing a city that is ranked third, however, what you are really choosing is one of the most incredible tourist destinations in the world. It is an area that has a lot to offer visitors from around the globe.

On the cultural end a tour of the city will allow you to experience some of the areas up and coming artists and musicians as their work is performed and displayed throughout the cafes and streets of Brisbane. For larger more professional displays of art and music, you can visit one of the areas museums or take in a show at the opera or the theater.

In addition to all the cultural activities there is also a creature display located right in the heart of the city. Overlooking the Brisbane River is a popular casino that is frequently visited by tourist and locals alike. To learn more about the Brisbane history you will want to be sure and visit the cafes and night clubs, as these locals not only offer charm, but are full of wonderful history.

And when you decide that you are ready to take a break from the city life for a while, take a short ride to the coast to unwind. With the shore so nearby, this city vacation can very easily transform into a weekend beach getaway. The most incredible thing about Brisbane is the location is perfect to ensure that you have the best of all worlds.

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Green Screen Studios: Shooting Videos

By Phil Guye

Whether you are a beginner or a professional, when it comes to making use of green screen studio, you are all practically on the same boat. Being in the same environment makes you susceptible to following the same set of guidelines and in any case whether you are financed by a multi-billion project, or you just easy want to shoot a Happy Birthday video for your other half, you have to follow the same set of rules in using green screen studios.

First off how do green screen studios work? The entire idea of green screens and blue screens were highly preferred back in the 70's when you'll see the tacky but iconic weatherman delivering the report and pointing at an enormous animated map beside him which would at times switch to footage and photographs and until later on returning to the map.

What they do is that they make the weatherman stand in front of a green background and then deliver his report there. After that, the editors get the video to take out the green background or the blue background and then substitute it with an image of the map and the other footage that they'll be putting in there.

In that time, a lot of costs are saved because of the green screen. Imagine not being made to prepare countless props and travelling to locations to supply a scene. In modern times, the green screen has proven its purpose not only in weather reporting but in creating upscale pictures with special effects. An ideal example will be that of Star Wars. From there it has escalated to a different sort of art form. The modernity of software available today has made nice things possible thru the use of green screen flats.

lots of software nowadays supports recording and revising videos in chroma background. Due to this, practically anybody with a massive basement or a garage and one who knows the easiest way to properly light up a background can make computer effects that would have made seventy's science Fiction directors drool. If you can make green screen studio in your house, then the next responsibility will get left to learning the way to edit it. This is where stuff becomes a bit more difficult. It will also be a test of your concerns. Are you prepared to spend such a great deal of time, effort and not to mention the learning curve of making your own videos?

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Friday, February 19, 2010

Green Screen Studio: A Brief Guide In Choosing Materials

By Phillip Guye

There are plenty of talks going on about which materials to use for your green screen. Expert advice will tell you that you cannot settle for just green. There is a right shade of green that's fit for green screen studio use. If you use any other shade, it won't have an identical effect and it will not be able to accomplish what it is set out to do.

It is for sure, correct to go for only a particular shade of green and a specific sort of material as it will give you optimum results. However, in truth, you can make any effective green screen from nearly any kind of smooth and green surface. The actual consequences of that will alter according to preference but it does not mean that other type of green screen studio materials will be useless.

If you're one to go for quality, and you need to use the very best screen for your video productions, you can search the Net or ask around what makes the perfect green screen material. The most likely event is that you will be pointed in different directions. When it reaches that point, you've got to trust your own instincts and go with what you believe will work for you. Because certain materials may work for some folk but it doesn't for others. So you've got to be a discerning purchaser. Also remember that professional green screen material can be rather expensive. Separate a little of your budget exclusively for the green screen material alone if you actually wish to create a good green screen studio.

If you are looking for material that won't burn a hole in your pocket, there are rules in finding useable material that will neither leave you penniless nor pissed off at the end of the day : Use something solid like a card or smooth wood. Color it green. Make sure that you cover each space in paint because inconsistencies will be magnified 100 times in your production.

Use a sort of fabric. There are two ways to go about this, you can either go for green fabric or take another fabric and then dye or paint it green. This method can be a bit tricky though since you have to make sure that there are no black spots and fabric has the tendency to be insubstantial.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Find Out How To Become A Rapper

By Mark Walters

If you're interested in learning how to become a rapper, then continue reading. You will find rap career tips on how to make money as an independent hip hop artist.

Secret #1: Learn How The Music Industry Works

To stand out, you need to know how to promote yourself. Your music alone will probably not be enough to make you a success, you need to have the right contacts.

So, don't just depend on your music skills. Also, don't depend all your financial security on a record label. At the end of the day, you can only depend on yourself to succeed in the rap business. That's a true secret on how to become a rapper.

Secret #2: Create Videos And Upload Them To YouTube

Creating your own YouTube channel will boost your rap career. Many hip hop artists fail to harness the power of the Internet. You want to set-up a YouTube channel and post a whole bunch of videos of you rapping and enjoying the scene.

Secret #3: Set-Up A Blog

A blog is an ideal way for you to connect with fans of your music. This is great for breaking down barriers and your fans will feel like they actually know you in person. The more you are connected to your fans, the more they end up supporting you and buying your music.

On your blog you can post your thoughts and what happened in your day. You don't have to be a good writer, and little mistakes are no big deal. Express yourself like you express yourself when you're rapping. This will help you seem more like a real person to your fans and they will love you for that.

Secret #4: Sell Your Music Online

It's getting much easier to sell your music on the internet. It's not even necessary to have your own website, though I do recommend you to have one. All you need is your music in mp3 format. Then you can sell it through Amazon's Createspace music store.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Green Screen Hollywood - What It's All About

By Phillip Guye

Hollywood manages to transport moviegoers to different places be it real or normal. With today's sophisticated film making technologies, anyone can have a look at ancient Rome's grand coliseums, walk on the surface of Jupiter, and visit dimensions that was once limited to only our imaginations. Also, creatures such as monsters, angels, and beasts are brought to life with the aid of green screen Hollywood technology. But what precisely is green screen or "Chroma Key" technology? How does it work?

Green screen technology is the mixing of 2 pictures together. A solid background color is utilised so that another image can be transposed in front of the main picture. More frequently than not, green is the color used for this reason although blue is also generally used. Green is more favored among filmmakers because image sensors in cameras are sensitive to it. Green camera channels have less noise and can make the most clean masks. Also, the color green is commonly used as it doesn't have to be illuminated much, in comparison to other colors. This makes the green screen the ideal background of different productions from weather reports to giant budget Hollywood films.

However, there are some things to keep in mind when using green screen Hollywood technology. Good production equipment like lights and quality cameras should be used when using Chroma Key technology screens. Bad lighting can cause unpleasant shadows and wrong shades on the screen. Therefore , it is imperative to have all of the right equipment when filming something that requires the Chroma Key strategy.

Green screen Hollywood technology is also used to solve lots of filmmakers and photographers' issues. One vital use of the chroma key screen is that it permits the user to dump the need to find a real background. Green screens allow filmmakers and photographers to be flexible. With green chroma key screen technology, any image can be added and used as the final background. This is how many Hollywood personalities end up in far flung regions of the universe or in ancient cities that don't exist anymore in this era.

Green screen Hollywood technology is principally utilised by executives. Aside from being a common tool used in movies, it is also used for magazine shoots, television advertisements, and studio photography. This is how shocking pictures and visible glasses are made available to anyone who would want something special for movies and photographs. When used the proper way, green screens can help produce great photographs only the imagination can cook up. This is exactly why the green screen is one of the most trustworthy and useful film making and photography tool there is.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Raiders Upset Visiting Eagles

By Ross Everett

The Oakland Raiders scored the only touchdown of the game in the first quarter and then prevailed in the kicking duel that followed en route to a--9 upset of the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. Much maligned quarterback Jamarcus Russell played his best game of the season despite two interceptions, throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown. It was only the Raiders' second win of the season, and only the Eagles' second loss. Oakland now stands at 2-4 while Philadelphia slid to 3-2.

NFL betting enthusiasts who backed the Raiders as a whopping +14 home underdog were never in any trouble as Oakland took the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Oakland evened their mark against the NFL pointspread at 3-3, while the Eagles dropped to 3-2 against the number. The 22 points scored went well UNDER the posted total of 40'. It was the Raiders' fourth UNDER in six outings, while it was the Eagles' first UNDER of the season against four OVER verdicts.

After the victory, Raiders' coach Tom Cable said for the first time all season his team focused their intensity in the right direction:

"We went out and threw a fight on somebody and said, 'Enough. Let's play. That's all you can say. There's no magic words or anything like that."

Last week's 44-7 loss to the New York Giants may have served a wakeup call to the Raiders. In particular, they were offended by comments made by Giants' linebacker Antonio Pierce that the game 'felt like playing a scrimmage'. Raiders' wide receiver Louis Murphy didn't dispute the comments but instead took them to heart:

"That gave me extra fuel. You have to look yourself in the mirror and man up. His comments were true. We played flat. We didn't play with any emotion. This game was totally different. We took those comments to heart."

The Raiders' defense received the bulk of the credit for the victory as they pressured Donovan McNabb all day, sacking him six times. The Eagles became the first team in three years to not score an offensive touchdown against the Raiders. Richard Seymour and Trevor Scott each had a pair of sacks, and Scott had the following observation:

"I'm sure they watched the Giants game and thought we were sorry. But all week coach Cable talked about persevering and forget the past and move forward so we can get to where we want to go."

After the game, McNabb had little to say:

"I'm embarrassed by the way we came out here and played. We're a much better football team."

The Raiders will try to put together an actual winning streak as they host the New York Jets next Sunday. Oakland is a +7 home underdog with the total set at 35. They'll play their hated rivals the San Diego Chargers on the road the following Sunday before a bye week. Philadelphia will play the Redskins at Washington next Monday night. The Eagles are a -6' road favorite with the total set at 38'. They'll return home for games the following two Sundays against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

HD Digital Camcorders - The Best Value Home Movie Solution

By Mark Johnson

The advantages of Digital HD Camcorders: There are many different grades of HD Camcorders. Entry Level - Simple, cheap, basic but effective. Middle of the road and Top of the range. Obviously the top of the range Digital Camcorders will have the highest resolution the best optical zoom, focus and workability and more complex features and settings but also the highest price.

Learning to use the Digital HD Camcorder can be very simple. If you just want to record family moments or mess around with friends, you can learn to use a Digital HD Camcorder in minutes. If you want to use a Digital HD Camcorder to shoot amateur movies, or a music video, you will need to learn how to use all the advanced features which will obviously take a lot longer.

Digital HD Camcorders have all the features associated with traditional camcorders such as Auto Focus, Rapid Zoom etc. but now the technology has developed so much that the quality of these features has improved beyond recognition. The results will look more like a hollywood movie than a home video. The auto focus feature now makes it almost impossible to go out of focus and with Rapid Zoom, you can zoom in to a miniscule object in the split of a second.

The rapid zoom is especially useful because of the quickness at which the user can zoom in on a desired object. The focus, coupled with the rapid zoom feature, creates a valuable camera experience which produces incredible results. With the rapid zoom feature, your digital video camera can focus in on and shoot a variety of distant objects with little effort or extra battery power. It is this type of feature that makes the Digital HD Camcorder stand out from all other similar products.

Working the digital video camcorder is easy. The buttons and all of the other gadgets are presented easily so that any operator can use the camera without worrying about a malfunction or improper use. It is an easy-to-use camera in every sense of the word because of modern advances and it continues to be one of the best options. Consider a digital video camcorder for all of your recording needs and leave that other technology in the dark ages where it belongs. With digital technology, you can improve the quality of the video you should and improve the overall experience, too.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Kites Movie Trying To Crack In

By Gracy Davidson

Hrithik Roshan's most awaited movie 'Kites' is finally set to sizzle the screens! It has been almost two years since Jodhaa Akbar hit the theatres and a small role in the movie Luck By Chance, Hrithik Roshan hasn't been seen on-screen.

The makers of the film are leaving no stone unturned to give the film a major release. There are two versions of the movie, one meant for the overseas market and the other for Hamara Bharath. The movie already seem to grab the attention of the public, rumours about Suzanne Roshan had left the house with her two kids last year after the stories that the actor was getting too close to Mexican babe Barbara Mori. Hrithik had hurried home from abroad and convinced Suzanne to return home.

The 'first-look' trailer of the Hindi version will be unveiled in 1700 screens worldwide on February 12 while the English trailer of the mega-budget flick will be released shortly after on 1000 screens. The two minute promo of Kites will be shown with MY NAME IS KHAN and is loaded with some sizzling chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori. Kites hasn't been the best of experiences for Roshan's and the entire team including Anurag Basu and Barbara Mori will breathe a sigh of relief once the movie hits the theatres.

Kites is about an Indian boy's romantic affair with a Latina girl and their predicament as they do not understand each other's language. Hrithik Roshan plays a salsa teacher. Kangana Ranaut plays a very rich girl and is shown as Hrithik's dance student. The story is set in Las Vegas. In the course of learning Salsa from him, she falls madly in love with him. But then a twist in the tale takes place and the romantic story takes a thriller turn.

Barbara Mori plays a Latina who speaks only Spanish which Hrithik can't speak a word of. So he speaks to her in Hindi and yet the two communicate and fall madly in love. But then something happens that forces the two to split and that's where Kangana Ranaut steps in.

In the harsh terrain of the Mexican desert, a mortally wounded man is left for death in the heat of the desert sun. This is Jai (Hrithik Roshan) - once a street smart, carefree, young guy and now a wanted man.

The only thing that keeps him alive is the quest to find the love of his life, Natasha (Barbara Mori). A woman, engaged to another man, but surely destined for Jai. A woman, who comes into his life like a bolt of lightning, and changes it forever.

Kites is a story of love that goes beyond barriers, boundaries and cultures. It is a story of passion that defies every rule, of a relationship that takes two lovers on a thrilling journey filled with precious moments and unexpected betrayal.

Overall Kites is the compelling modern story about a man's spectacular voyage through the labyrinths of mystic myths and legendary heritage.

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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Kansas City Wins First Of Season By Beating Washington

By Ross Everett

The offensively struggling Kansas City Chiefs have finally found a way to win-play a team with a more stagnant offense than their own. The Chiefs gave Todd Haley his first win as a NFL head coach on Sunday with a---6 win over the Washington Redskins. Kansas City is now 1-5 on the NFL season, while the Redskins slumped to 2-4.

To successfully bet on NFL football you occasionally have to put aside W/L records and look at the underlying statistics. Those who did that found reason to take Kansas City as +6' road underdogs and were rewarded with the outright victory. Kansas City is now 2-4 against the NFL pointspread and has covered two straight while Washington is a dismal 1-5 versus the money.

After the contest, Haley sounded more relieved than excited about finally putting a "W" on the board:

"We made it pretty difficult, right down to the end. We've pushed through a very difficult period. We needed to get some positive reinforcement with a win."

Kansas City QB Matt Cassel also won for the first time since coming over from New England in the off season. His postgame comments were more upbeat:

"There's been a lot of change, but this has definitely been special. We rose to the occasion. We made some big plays. We put ourselves in a position to score points."

Embattled Redskins' coach Jim Zorn was stripped of his offensive play calling duties by team management after the contest. In one of his last decisions in that role, he pulled starter Jason Campbell at halftime and went with Todd Collins. He explained his move as follows:

"I felt the need to create a spark on our football team offensively and went with Todd. I think the guys responded well. We kept our spark, at times, and then we refizzled."

The Redskins have managed to win only two of their first six games despite being the only team in NFL history to play their first six games of the season against winless opponents. They'll get another chance to silence their doubters next Monday night as they host the Philadelphia Eagles. They'll have a bye the next week and return to action on November 8th against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Kansas City will try to string together back to back wins as they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

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Friday, February 12, 2010

5 Styles to a Twilight Party

By Andrea McClure

A bunch of friends, a packet of chips and something to drink; is this not enough to party? Well, yes that is a party too. But now is the age of hard partying and theme parties are the latest rage. When talking about theme parties, the one word that enlightens many hearts is Twilight. Twilight is a series of four books about an ordinary girl Bella falling in love with a vegetarian vampire (do not feed on humans) Edward, written by Stephanie Meyer. Twilight party themes have revolutionized the world of parties.

The Twilight parties just like the Harry Potter series have redefined the way parties have been celebrated. Be it a birthday or Halloween parties, or any high school or college party, when all friends are Twilight fanatics the mood for a perfect Twilight theme party is set.

There are numerous Twilight party favors available online and you can make your affordable choice. The first step is obviously giving out personalized Twilight invitations to your friends. You can use the Twilight font Zephyr and also give a red apple with a red satin ribbon tied to its stem. Red and white tulips are also a favorite.

Music is the love of life. What is a party without music? Play the Twilight movie sound tracks and if possible play the movie too. It is so much fun to watch the movie with so many Twilight fanatics around, even if you are watching it a tenth time.

Festoons and decorations spice up the spirit of parties. Twilight theme parties can be embellished with the novel or movie specific features. Hang Twilight movie posters around the room. Have the vampire hunk Robert Pattinson, his lady love Kristen Stewart and the fierce werewolf Taylor Lautner lighten up your living rooms. Place photos and posters of the Cullen family crest around your home. Some crazy fans go to the extent of hanging umbrellas all over the house to represent the always rainy and wet Forks. You can also have dim red and white lighting all over.

Now the mood is all set and Twilighty. The next most important thing is the food. You ca have most items to be in red color. Fill jars with red, white or black apple shaped candies. Serve red velvet cake, red punch or soda. You can serve Italian food as that is what the Cullen family cook when Bella visits them first. Try making mushroom ravioli as that is the dish Bella orders when she is out with Edward on their first dinner together.

Coming to the fun activities part, there are the traditional tail the donkey kind of games you can play. To stick to the theme you can play "Who said it?" Quote lines from the Twilight book or movie and have your friends guessing which character's dialogue it is.

Giveaways make your parties more special and popular. There are numerous options of giveaways to Twilight fans. Be it key chains with your favorite characters' pictures or the movie CDs, the options are infinite. Is it an all girls party? You have the all new Twilight themed lip balm and purse favors available. For students Twilight notebooks and water bottles are favorites.

Do not forget the dress code for the party. Ask your guests to wear red dresses with deep red nail polishes. You also can have fangs to show the vampire effect.

If allowed to do so, I would have written this article about Twilight in red to stick to the theme. Get all the Twilight party favors of your choice and enjoy a great party adding all your innovative ideas.

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Green Screen Hollywood for Indie Film Makers

By Phillip Guye

Even struggling filmmakers and film students now have the chance to produce quality films, thanks to aid from an improvised green screen. The green screen Hollywood strategy or "chroma key technology" is now accessible to everyone. It just takes one or two hours, paint, papers, paint rollers, and some tape to make a customized screen. Here are some easy steps on the simple way to make a green screen. On completing this, there won't be any necessity to rent costly studios!

Find a suitable place. The best location for a green chroma key screen is a room with a massive wall. The place should additionally be spacious. Ask pals and family if they can spare their garage. This will be a transient studio. Once the ideal place is found, shop for the obligatory materials.

Shop for paint and other essentials. When looking for paint, decide on the ideal shade of green. It shouldn't be too light or too dark. Also ensure that the discomfort is the matte type. This is as glossy paint might reflect light and cause ugly blemishes to the film. After finishing the paint, buy the other painting materials. Purchase some paint rollers, paint trays, and painting adhesives. Also gather old papers. This can serve as protective linings to other parts of the studio that should not be painted green. After gathering all the needed things, proceed to making the DIY green screen Hollywood.

Set bounds. Line the surface of the floor near the intended chroma key space with paper. Ideally, the lining should be 3 layers thick. This could be enough to stop the floor from any paint splatters. Adding more paper is optional. After putting old newspaper all over the work area, secure them with tap. This is so that the newspaper won't move as work is being done. Also, line the sides you want to paint with tape. The tape should be placed as a protecting border for other bits of the wall that should not be painted green. Once this is accomplished, begin painting.

Make some art for art. Paint the wall employing a roller brush. The strokes should be even, so that the color and finish will be consistent. Keep in mind the screen will be use to make cinematic gems, so it is vital to apply paint correctly. After panting the whole area, wait for the paint to dry before taking off the tape and paper linings. After the agony has dried and all the linings are removed, the screen can now be used. With inexpensive materials, anybody can use green screen Hollywood technology to make films.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Strikeforce Signs Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza

By Ross Everett

The San Jose, CA based Strikeforce MMA promotion recently announced that they have signed Brazilian middleweight Ronaldo Jacare Souza to a multifight contract. He is expected to make his Strikeforce debut on the same October event as recently signed Fedor Emelianenko, which will be broadcast on the Showtime premium cable network.

In a statement released by the promotion, Souza expressed his pleasure at the signing:

I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to fight in STRIKEFORCE amongst many of the worlds best middleweight fighters. STRIKEFORCE has an extremely deep roster of top middleweight fighters. I am looking forward to the challenge and to taking my career to the next level.

Souza is better known in Japan simply as Ronaldo Jacare. He got the nickname in his hometown of Manaus, Brazil"its Portuguese for a species of alligator that is common to the area.

He was a runner up in the 2008 DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament, losing in the finals to Gegard Mousasi. Jacare was in control of the fight until he got caught by a Mousasi upkick that knocked him unconscious. In his last fight, he faced American Jason Mayhem Miller in a rematch of their DREAM tournament bout. This fight ended in a no contest after Mayhem was cut by an inadvertent illegal blow.

Souza began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17 and fought MMA legend Randy The Natural Couture to a draw in a grappling contest in 2006. Shortly thereafter he began training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. He has since returned to training in his homeland but will reportedly begin training with Couture again in the near future.

MMA fans are already anticipating several excellent potential matchups for Jacare in Strikeforce, most notably an almost inevitable showdown with another of the worlds top middleweights, Jake Shields. Also of great interest would be a catchweight matchup between Souza and Shields Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu teammate, Nick Diaz.

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Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Ageless Kids Pictures To Share With Children

By Ben Thomas

When I was growing up, my parents let me watch some of the movies they had first seen when they were children. I believed that a few of them were not worth watching because of how old they were.

Then there were other ones that were definitely exceptions to the rule. I felt that despite their age, these were thoroughly enjoyable as timeless classics.

How amazing that after so many years these movies are still so popular and will definitely be watched by many children in the years to come. Let's talk about five of these really great movies.

The Little Mermaid - This classic has only been around for almost 20 years now and it is quite enjoyable to watch. It is hard to find anything to not like about it because everything you would want in a movie is there, from the lovely music to the good plot to the lively characters.

How about ET? Everyone loves the extra terrestrial that ate Reese's Pieces and charmed a small town. Elliot and ET make for a great combo, and any kids should generally love this movie.

Pinocchio - The wooden puppet who turns into a real boy. This is a true Disney classic, and one worth watching anytime, regardless of the story's age. While it has its scarier moments near the end, this is a movie that children simply adore.

The movie Superman totally captures a child's attention when they see a man flying in the air. This is exciting to them and all children should watch this movie.

A newer movie to make the list is Bend it Like Beckham. This is a sports movie that teaches children about all of the virtues of cooperation, teamwork, and the competitive spirit. A newer classic, it's one that should teach all kids valuable lessons.

Try showing any of these movies to your children, and you can be sure that they'll be asking to see them again.

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Monday, February 01, 2010

Straightforward Methods To Take Advantage Of Your Music More

By Ray Jennings

When you need to listen to music and those around you don't, the simplest way out is always to utilise a pair of headphones! If you wish to personalize your encounter of using music, the very best option would be to get hold of your headphones and tune in to your preferred music! I am certain most of you use headphones frequently. Then again, have you pondered how headphones work? Here's how.

Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers or transducers that receive electrical signals from a mp3 and change them into sound waves. The speakers of the headphones are responsible for converting the electrical signals into sound waves. The headphones are attached to an audio-frequency signal source. They're held close to the listener's ears in order that his/her listening experience is maximized.

One can find different methods that headphone transducers put into action to replicate sound. During the electrostatic method of sound reproduction, an electric signal is applied to electrodes. It produces an electric field as well as diaphragm inside the headphones moves towards the plates. The air traveling through perforations and the changing electrical signal cause the production of a sound wave. Headphones regularly have a balanced nature armature, that is a transducer that increases electrical efficiency by removing the stress within the diaphragm. Certain headphones have ortho dynamic drivers that involve fine aluminum discs acting as the diaphragm.

There are unique variations of headphones, varying in size and style. Circumaural headphones have circular ear pads and so are used in recording studios. Earbuds are smaller in dimensions and can be placed outside the ear canal. While Canalphones can be inserted directly to the ear canals. Closed-ear headphones filter external interferences so are believed to offer a much better listening encounter.

Noise-reducing headphones should provide the users with a refined sound quality, as they eliminate ambient noise frequencies from the sound waves produced. Cordless headphones are becoming well-liked as they support the mobility of the user, and will not require them to physically connect to a music player. This discussion should have helped you choose the precise pair of headphones to best fit your needs. What are you waiting for? Get started to get them!

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